In review of Romans 10:9-10 it says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (NLT).
Today’s passage is Romans 10:9-10. It says, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Therefore, salvation is as close as my own lips and heart. It's not complicated. If I believe in my heart and say with my mouth that Christ is the risen Lord, I will be saved.
The Bible says in Romans 1:17, “The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself” (NCV).
How does God make me right with himself? This is called the Gospel, and there are three points.
First, I can’t make myself righteous. Heaven is a perfect place. There’s no sin, sadness, evil, or injustice. But here’s the problem: I’m imperfect, and God can’t let sinful people like me into heaven because then it would be full of sin, too. Romans 3:20 says, “No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (NLT). The only people who think they can keep God’s laws are those that don’t know them, because God’s laws are perfect, and none of us are perfect. I cannot be made right on my own. So God had to come up with a plan.
Second, God sent Jesus to pay for my sins so I could be declared righteous. When I break man’s laws, I pay man’s penalty. When I break God’s laws, I pay God’s penalty, which is eternity in hell. Somebody has to pay for all the things I’ve done in life that hurt others, myself, and God. God said, “I’ll send my Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty. He took my place so I don’t have to go to hell and so I can be with him forever.” The Gospel is called Good News. It means everything I’ve ever done or will ever do wrong in life has already been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross. I’ve been made right with God. “[God] saved me, not because of righteous things I had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5 NLT).
Third, I have to accept by faith what God did for me. To be made right with God, just believe and accept by faith that what Jesus did on the cross paid for your sins. Then, I’m part of God’s family. I can live the way he wants me to live now and then go to heaven in eternity. That is righteousness. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (NLT).
Even better, God offers the gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ to everyone no matter who they are, what they’ve done, or how long they’ve done it.
This morning I pray “Dear God, thank you that you made me, that you have a plan and purpose for my life, and that you made me to know you. Thank you for the choice that you’ve given me to accept or reject your offer of salvation. Today I humbly ask you to save me—not based on what I’ve done but based on what Jesus Christ did for me. I don’t understand it all, but I want to put my trust in your Son. God, I want to get to know you. I want to learn to love you. I want to hunger and thirst for righteousness the rest of my life. I put my trust in your grace and in your forgiveness. I want you to be the Lord of my life. I also ask for your wisdom and guidance in my role at work, my leadership and my interaction with others. This I pray through your Son Jesus name, Amen.”
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